YOUR OPINION: Letters to the editor

Allow Lee County students to transfer to good schools
Children in the Lee County schools should be treated equally. There have been many articles in the Daily Journal concerning the north (high performing) and south (low performing) Lee County schools. It should be seriously considered to allow students from low-performing schools attend one of the high-performing schools. Each student deserves an equal opportunity for a good education.
Some students in low-performing schools have not been given the chance to go to a better school, while others in the same school district continue to go to a high-performing school. In one Lee County school there is a child that is the only one of her race in her eighth grade class which gives her an unqeual opportunity to be involved in school activities. The Lee County school officials and board should read page 5 and pages 8-11 of their handbook, which is dedicated to giving all students the best possible chance for an education.Mauvalene HarrisPlantersville

Comcast raked over coals for its practices
I am speaking out to let anyone that uses Comcast as a cable provider to be aware of recent charges added to the monthly bill for the two small modem boxes that were advertised as free with purchase of certain packages when digital service was started. The agreement by Comcast was that the two boxes would be free and any extra boxes would be charged a monthly fee of $2.99 a month. Comcast is now charging a monthly fee of $2.99 each for the initial two free boxes. I did not receive any information why these new charges are necessary. The apparent deceitful practices by Comcast must stop. It is, however, difficult to do anything about a company that has a monopoly for their cable product. Subscribers should also be aware that Comcast has had several price increases since starting their digital programming. This year alone there have been two price increases. Time Warner cable is currently involved in a class action lawsuit for the same price-gouging practices.
After getting no answers from the local Comcast office, I discussed these issues with the Tupelo mayor’s office and the Public Service Commission. The mayor’s office said that they have no control over Comcast’s business practices even though they get numerous complaints every month about them. The Public Service Commission says that the Mississippi Legislature would not pass a bill so they could regulate the cable and Internet providers due to lobbyists and special interest groups. This, of course, is typical Mississippi politics. The PSC did contact a Comcast regional complaint department representative and he called me about about my concerns the next day. He told me that he would call back within three days. That was six weeks ago and I have not heard from him.
I also talked with a lady at Rep. Nunnelee’s office but got absolutely nowhere. She advised me to contact the Federal Trade Commission with my concerns.
We as a community need to do whatever we can to stop allowing Comcast to get away with their devious business practices. Of course, this can be difficult due to Comcast having a monopoly on cable service in the Lee County area.Donald StanfordUSNR, Retired
Tupelo
We need a governor, not a state dictator
Face the poverty problem, don’t bury your heads in the sand and expect it to go away. We need a governor, not a dictator, who on a whim decides who needs Medicaid and who is left hanging. What is wrong with this picture? Bring every county in Mississippi into the 21st century.
If you live in a dry county, don’t even think of having wine with dinner or a cold beer after a hard day. You can drive 30-40 miles to obtain alcohol. This is illegal unless you belong to a country club.
Our powers that be are content to let Mississippi rank last or close to last in every category in America. From state management to education to health care. Is there no hope?Betty McKeeTippah County